


Manifestations of the Force

by GlassesOfJustice



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: 5+1 Things, Developing Relationship, F/F, FemslashEx: Treat, Fingerfucking, Force-Sensitive Leia Organa, Hair Brushing, Jedi Training, Masturbation, Mentor/Protégé, Minor Amilyn Holdo/Leia Organa, Mutual Pining
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-11
Updated: 2018-10-11
Packaged: 2019-07-29 15:17:12
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,439
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16266854
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GlassesOfJustice/pseuds/GlassesOfJustice
Summary: Five times Leia visits Rey and one time Rey visits Leia.





	Manifestations of the Force

**Author's Note:**

  * For [spacewitchescantdie](https://archiveofourown.org/users/spacewitchescantdie/gifts).



> Thank you for requesting/prompting these two because you made me fall for them.
> 
> This wouldn’t be half as good without the wonderful beta work put in by [AceQueenKing](https://archiveofourown.org/users/AceQueenKing). Thank you for your invaluable counsel.

Leia is in the habit of observing those she leads. Where Rey is concerned it is more than that -- not merely assessing her, understanding her skill set, but the Force draws her to Rey again and again. Leia could feel her palm pulsing, mirroring the thump of Rey’s heartbeat whenever she trained. The younger woman was full of energy, eager, pushing to exhaustion. 

Leia resists Ray's pull for a while. Then she decides to use her habit of observation as a cover. Ultimately, she and Rey fall into a routine. Leia would find Rey training following her morning debrief, or sometimes during an afternoon session, and not everyday but lately nearly so. For the most part she observes in silence. Rey didn’t appear to mind the audience. Sometimes Leia thinks she might be too intimidating to ask about her presence, other times she feels Rey is showing off for her. Maybe she just really is that skilled. 

This morning it is bitterly cold. Winter had not yet given way to spring. Leia knows the weather won’t keep Rey from her routine. She could feel Rey’s heart pumping with exertion. She knows that when Rey stops to stretch, she will be a delightfully sweaty mess. Also, likely to catch cold. And that’s how it started. 

Leia admires Rey’s flexibility out of sight but within shouting distance. She understands breaking their silent routine needs to go a certain way. The piercing of the veil between observer and participant had many possible outcomes; some she desires, some she does not. 

Not wanting to startle Rey, she purposefully crunches the dirt and leaves underfoot to announce her approach. 

“You are later than usual today, not much to see now,” Rey says, mid-stretch, her back to Leia.

_So she notices me too; and how wrong you are young one._

“I am, but I came bearing gifts.”

At the mention of gifts, Rey whirls around, abandoning her stretching.

Leia holds out two identical steel canisters toward Rey. “I have something I want you to try.”

“Is it a trick? A mystery?” Rey marvels at the sleek silver on offer.

“A mystery yes. Something warm to drink.”

Rey's arched eyebrow relaxes. “Are they the same?”

“Good question. They are different. Do you want to choose or shall I choose for you?” Leia can hardly contain herself. The idea came to her as she caught a chill on her walk to her morning debrief but, she never expected Rey to give her smile so freely.

“I trust you, you choose,” Rey replies. She is shifting slightly on the balls of her feet, anticipation growing by the minute.

“Here, hold this, and we will try this one first.”

Rey does as she is asked. Leia unscrews the cap of the canister remaining in her hand and tips some of the hot black liquid into the lid. Steam wafts upward and Rey can’t help but lean her face into it. 

“It smells earthy.” 

“Yes. Okay. Smell it again, and then take a little sip, it’s still hot. It should taste a little different than it smells,” Leia has acquired the taste for coffee, more out of necessity and caffeine abuse than an initial like of it. She likes the way it warms her from the inside. She is worried Rey will dive in face first taking a big gulp, like she does most things, and burn herself.

Rey takes a moderate sip and announces, “Bitter.”

And then, “But nice. It tastes bold and it’s warming from the inside.”

Leia nods. “Okay, let’s see what I have in canister number two.” She drinks the rest of the liquid in the lid and rescrews the cap. When they pass the canisters between them, their fingers graze and Rey looks away. Leia proceeds, pouring the second drink.

Rey watches Leia’s hands intently as she deftly pours the brown liquid into the lid. It’s not steaming nearly as much as the first drink.

“Here. Try this one,” Leia says as she presses the lid into Rey’s hand, inviting her to touch and be touched. Rey doesn’t recoil this time, and she keeps staring at Leia as she brings the mystery drink to her mouth. Leia watches Rey, longs to be that lid, to touch Rey's mouth with her own. She is hoping this small act of sharing something new will open the door for more personal engagement. That Rey will let her in, let her _really_ mentor her. Leia knows how fiercely independent Rey has been forced to be, and how crucial it is she doesn't face the future alone. 

Leia knows it is the small things that sometimes mean the most.

“It coats my tongue. And it’s sweet.” 

Rey wipes her mouth with the back of her hand. She is smiling so big her eyes crinkle at the edges.

“Well, which did you like better?” 

Rey takes another sip from the lid to confirm or deny her instinct.

“The first one. It seems more harsh. What a Jedi would drink. The second one is soft and thick? Did you drink that when you were a Princess?”

The unexpected assessment causes an outburst of laughter from Leia.

“What?” Rey asks, the stricken look on her face suggests she isn't sure where she went wrong or why what she said was so funny.

Leia gets her laughter under control and puts an arm around Rey. “No. Nothing. Very astute. The first one is coffee, it keeps you warm and awake. It has fueled the Resistance for years. The second one is hot chocolate. It is more of a treat than something you might have everyday. Something for celebrations.”

“What are we celebrating?”

“Today? Just that we live to fight another day. Sometimes that is enough.”

“Noted. Coffee...we didn’t have that on Jakku. Well, I never had it anyway.”

“Do you want some more? You don’t want to catch cold out here.”

“I need to finish stretching. Can I keep this?” Rey motions toward the canister of coffee she is still holding.

“Sure. I’ll leave you to it.”

On her walk back to central command Leia sipped the hot cocoa and wondered about Rey. Would she be able to break down her barriers and help her blossom into the powerful woman she knew Rey could be? Did Rey appreciate the extra attention she gave her? She wanted to believe so, wanted to believe the Force connected them for a reason. 

————————————

A week goes by. Suddenly it is the middle of the next week and Leia still hasn’t made it out to watch Rey again, she is not sure where the time went. She worries the relationship they are building might stall, but hopes Rey doesn't internalize her absence as anything negative. Despite her obligations as General keeping her away, she knows Rey's workouts haven't let up. If anything, her training efforts have increased. The pulse in her palm pushes toward her middle finger rhythmically and Leia can only guess at the drills Rey is putting herself through or the weapons she’s working to master. Leia takes it as a sign, the Force is reminding her where her priorities lie..

Obligations be damned, Leia can’t wait another day to see Rey. The woman is running through her mind, and the Force has her heartbeat vibrating through her body; so, it’s not like she’s truly focused on where there next battle will take place anyway. When Leia makes her presence known at the training ground, Rey is moving through her final sequence with her lightsaber. Her back muscles, swollen and flexing with the effort, are visible through the cross hatch in the back of her tunic. 

Leia thinks about pressing her lips to Rey’s neck. About trailing those kisses down her spine, stopping to learn the shape of each vertebrae. The sudden silence breaks her fantasy. Leia blushes slightly, unsure the reaches of Rey’s connection to the Force and whether those thoughts remained her own. Rey’s face betrays nothing.

“I haven’t seen you out here for over a week. How are things at mission command?” Rey asks, walking toward Leia.

“Nothing for you to do yet. Or to worry about.” Leia remarks.

“I wasn't sure I would see you. Your canister is in my quarters. I washed it…”

“Keep it.”

“Okay. I will.”

“I have something else for you. I hear you have been training hard.”

“Same as always,” Rey says.

“It is good to be prepared for anything.” 

Before Rey can reply, Leia lobs something round and red toward Rey and she snatches it out of the air instinctively. It’s spherical, not perfectly round like a ball, but it’s firm.

“What’s this?” Rey asks, the object settling in her palm.

“It’s an apple. You got me thinking about your time on Jakku, and what you didn’t have there. And you reminded me of my time as Princess of Alderaan. Apples were some of my favorite treats back then. I like the green ones best, but red are less common.”

“You eat it?” Rey turns the Apple around in her hand, smells it, and then looks back at Leia, waiting for an answer.

“Yes, you bite into the side. Under the skin it is juicy and firm.”

Rey bites into the apple like she hasn’t eaten in days.

“Mh-m—- it’s g-ood.” She says, still chewing. 

Leia gives her an amused look, charmed by her enthusiasm. Rey must have interpreted it as chastising because she swallows quickly and then says again without her mouth full,. “Mmmmm, it’s good.” Then adds, “Thank You.”

“My pleasure.” Leia holds Rey’s gaze for a moment and then makes her exit.

————————————

The pulsing in Leia’s palm is like an itch she can’t scratch. Rey has increased her training to multiple times a day. Leia is unsure if she is restless for battle or something else.

Her debrief is short for once so she sets out to watch Rey in action. She hears her before her lithe form comes into view. 

_Tap_ , _tap_... _tap_ , _tap_. 

Rey is wielding her staff with skill, tapping both ends to a tree in quick succession, again and again. Advanced weaponry aside, there is something artful about the way Rey works a staff. Her first weapon, one that must be second nature. She turns away from the tree and completes an aerial kick sequence; cartwheeling her feet to kick an imaginary attacker by planting her staff into the ground, momentum and her developed triceps lifting her body parallel to the ground.

One more sequence of tree taps and she stops to catch her breath. 

“I liked that aerial move.” Leia calls over, loud enough for Rey to hear over her own panting. Rey turns toward her quickly, hand jumping over her heart.

“Oh gosh, you surprised me.” Rey shields her face from the sun and makes eye contact with Leia.

Leia delights in her ability to still sneak up on people and doesn’t apologize, choosing instead to compliment her work. “You are tremendous with that staff.”

“Really?” 

“Yes, really.”

Rey shrugs and walks over to Leia, leaving the staff to rest against the tree.

“I guess I feel the most comfortable with it, it’s all I knew for so long.”

“I would be happy to give you a blaster lesson. Though, you may learn more from Admiral Holdo,” Leia offers.

“You would give me a blaster lesson?” 

“It would be an honor to share what I know with someone as naturally talented as you.”

“I’m not sure what to say.”

“Say yes.”

“Yes.”

“Good.” Leia reaches for and holds Rey’s hands in her own. They make eye contact. Leia sees her own curiosity reflected in Rey's eyes. She can feel Rey's heart quicken, and wonders if Rey can feel her own heart beating in Leia's palm? Rey inches closer and Leia says, “Soon then?” 

Rey gently squeezes Leia’s hands. “Anytime. I’m ready.”

————————————

Leia can’t seem to stay away from Rey for long. Not that she has really tried. Though, the only person that seems to notice with shared interest is Amilyn. Of course it’s also Amilyn’s idea to find some new boots for Rey. Amilyn advises her on the boots: functional, yet stylish but still brown of course.

It’s a warm afternoon when Leia’s palm begins pulsing to life. She clenches her fist, an attempt to harness their connection, to feel what Rey’s feeling. Power. Hunger. Confusion. Yearning.

When Leia finds Rey, she is working a boxing drill. Her feet are advancing over the worn path in front of her in quick succession as she lands jab after jab into the thick air. A slip of hair must have fallen into her face before Leia arrived and is now matted to her cheek, begging to be tucked behind her ear. 

Rey punctuates her advance with two crosses, another jab, an uppercut and a roundhouse kick. When she stops, she doubles over, resting her forearms on her thighs. 

“Boxing is exhilarating isn’t it?” Leia’s smile grows wider as she saunters over, a large sack in her hand. 

“Yes.” Rey is still out of breath.

“It’s good for the heart. And the mind.” 

Leia is happy to enjoy the silence of the training compound. Only a bird chirping in the distance and Rey’s labored breathing, right next to her, as background noise. 

Rey pushes up into a standing position and shakes out her shoulders and arms. 

“I’m not quite done. Will you stay for another round?” Rey turns away before Leia can answer. Leia wonders what it cost her to ask. 

“Yes of course. When you are done, I want to show you this.” Rey turns back toward Leia and notices for the first time that she’s holding a large bag.

“Okay. One more time through.”

“I look forward to seeing the whole routine.” Leia’s tone invites Rey to put on a show. Leia thinks Rey has been trying to impress her. She hopes it’s because Rey feels their connection too. But, even Generals are not immune to being unsure, to feeling the butterflies of possibility, the unfiltered desire that manifests in her dreams.

Leia deposits the sack on the floor. Watching Rey is easy. She creates these elaborate routines, sometimes using obstacles, sometimes like now, just going all out on an offensive attack. 

When Rey makes her way back over to where Leia’s waiting she looks proud of her effort.

“Be careful not to let your left arm drop too far. Your leaving your face open too much when your using your dominant side. Balance is crucial. Maintain defense while you are pushing your offense.” Leia hoped she didn't come off as disappointed, she was trying to be constructive. 

“Can I try again?”

Rey, was sweating and breathing heavily, but also dancing on her toes, ready to go again. “Don’t do the whole thing, just the last jab sequence. Slower this time. Focus on your form.”

Leia follows Rey to the starting place.

“Okay, slowly now.”

Rey raises her fists in front of her face, bounces on her feet to start a rhythm and then pushes ahead. 

“Yes, that’s good. A little higher. There.”

Rey keeps advancing and Leia keeps pace. “Yes. See, now both arms are maintaining equal balance. Protecting that beautiful face of yours. And you seem to be landing your jab a little quicker. Good Rey, that’s enough.”

Rey raises her chin and gives Leia a quick smile, but doesn’t stop. She powers through the last sequence again, this time she ends on a jumping roundhouse kick. She turns back toward a Leia a little sheepishly. “Kicks are my favorite.” 

“Very well. Come, I have something for you.”

When they get closer to the sack Rey says, “What’s that? It’s big.”

“Open it.”

Rey doesn't move. Leia wonders if its the size of the package that has her hesitating, her presents have gone over so well to this point. Maybe it was too much to soon, but there wasn't anything Leia could do about it now.

Tenderly, Leia says, “Go on.”

Rey kneels next to the sack and puts her arm inside, pulling out two new boots. 

“Wow.”

“You have been working so hard, I thought you could use some new boots.”

“I’m...I’m not sure what to say. They are beautiful. But I can’t accept these. I didn’t earn them.”

“Rey. Look at me.” She does. Leia places a hand on her shoulder. “You are not on Jakku anymore. You are apart of the Resistance. A big part. You don’t have to earn everything the way you did before.”

“But, I —”

“Don’t misunderstand me. Your contributions here are valuable. But this is a gift. Something I wanted you to have. Something new to enjoy. Please, try them on.” 

Now it’s Leia’s turn to be a little embarrassed. “I hope you don’t mind, I asked around for your shoe size.”

“Some friends I have.” Rey grumbles under her breath. Louder now, “Okay I will.” Rey turns to sit down and pulls off her old boots. These new ones are a rich brown leather, supportive but soft to the touch. Rey fingers the tongue of the boots, the strings of the laces. The holes for the laces are reinforced with beautiful, copper colored rings that glint in the sun.

“I hope you don’t mind laces.” Leia offers. “I know it’s different, but I think they are more supportive.”

Rey shoved her feet in, eager to see if they fit. 

Leia didn't realize she was holding her breath, waiting for a reaction. “Do they fit? Tie them first.”

“They feel nice.” Leia can see Rey wiggling her toes underneath the toe of the boots.

“Here, let me help you up.” Leia offers an outstretched hand. Rey takes it and is easily hoisted to her feet.

She turns to the right and starts up another quick boxing sequence. Then she jogs around a little. 

“They are perfect. The nicest boots I’ve ever had.”

Leia places her hands on Rey’s shoulders. “Good. I’m glad. You deserve them.”

“Thank you. For everything. This is the first real present anyone has ever given me.”

A piece of Leia’s heart breaks loose at this matter of fact admission. 

“Oh Rey,” Leia says, pulling her into an embrace. 

————————————

When the pulsing in her hand changed suddenly from a smooth tempo to an erratic jag, Leia took off toward the training compound without a second thought. Seeing Rey writhing on the floor was something she wasn’t prepared for. 

“Rey! What happened?”

“Cramp!” Rey wailed, grasping at her calf.

“Breathe. Just breathe. Lay back. Here let me” Leia takes charge. “I’m going to rub your leg okay?” Leia sits next to Rey’s legs and starts unlacing her new boot, ultimately pulling it off.

Rey was trying to lay back but she was jerking around in pain.

“Do it.”

“Breathe with me Rey.” Leia began working her fingers into the knot in Rey’s calf.

“In. Hold it. Out. In. Out.”

Rey complies. Leia feels the cramp loosening with each knead of her hands. 

“Good. You are doing so well. Keep breathing, in...and out.” Leia leads. 

“Keep talking, please. It’s distracting.”

Leia wonders if there is added meaning there. She keeps working her fingers into Rey’s lower leg. 

“You are going to be fine. Your legs are so strong and sculpted. Your training is paying dividends. Keep breathing.”

Rey has finally stopped thrashing. Her eyes are closed, and her head is turned away from Leia. Her chest is rising and falling with each long breath.

Rey raises her head. “Why did you stop?”

“I think your cramp is gone.”

Rey flexes her toes, testing her calf. Leia’s fingers had stopped squeezing but her hand is still resting on Rey’s leg. Feeling Rey flex her muscles sends a tendril of desire through Leia. 

“So it is.” Rey rests her head back down.

Neither woman moves. 

After a few minutes, Leia finally removes her hand. Rey opens her eyes again, and Leia extends her hand to help her sit up.

“Come here.” 

Their hands clasp and as Leia pulls Rey toward her, the Force courses through them both. Settling into each other’s eyes, there is a moment when either of them could choose to read the other’s thoughts. They let it pass. What seems like minutes later to Leia, Rey breaks their connection.

“Thank you.”

“You’re welcome. You are pushing yourself too hard Rey. I worry about you.”

“You think about me when we’re not together?”

“I do. Often.”

Rey lays back again, unable to bear Leia’s gaze. Their bodies remain connected at the hip, opposite each other, “I do too.” She raises her hands as if to continue, but drops them again.

“It’s okay to feel Rey. To want things. To seek comfort.”

“I’m not sure how to do that. I’ve been alone for so long. Now that I have people around who seem to care about me, Finn, Rose...you. I don’t know how to let them in.”

Leia is quiet for awhile, gently caressing Rey’s knee. Deciding if she should fill the silence or if Rey might open up more.

“It’s just. I don’t know. I waited for my parents for so long. While I’ve accepted I won’t see them again, I’m not sure how to want something again. To _let_ myself want something again. Does that make sense?”

“Oh, Rey. More than you should ever know. I’ve lost friends, lovers. My son. War is an impossible way of life.”

A comfortable silence befalls them.

“You know. If you want my advice? Live. Do it at your own pace, but opening yourself up to feeling, is at once a great gift and a great risk. It’s almost like the thrill of battle. You might be injured, die even. But maybe you prevail. It’s a chance you have taken with your body. Now you just have to take that chance with your mind, and your heart.”

“Leia?”

“Yes, dear?”

“Can we just stay here for a while?”

“Sure. Until my body complains about being on the ground. You couldn’t have picked that grassy area over there to have a cramp huh?”

Rey laughs at that and Leia turns and lays down next to Rey. 

Rey tilts her head toward Leia. “Can I listen to your heart beat?” 

It seems only fair, considering Leia has been feeling Rey’s for months. She still wasn't ready to find out how this connection was manifesting, if at all, for Rey. “Sure. Here, put your hand on my chest.”

After a minute or two, Leia could feel their heart beats synchronize. They both closed their eyes and drifted off to sleep.

————————————

Spring is short and Summer comes in with a bang. Everyone was hot and sweaty and a little bit keyed up. Leia isn’t sure if Rey’s inquiry from a few weeks ago would lead to anything, but feels she will have to open the door if it does.

\\\

Training was best at dawn when it was still cool and just light enough to not injure yourself. Rey didn’t sleep well. She had been restless since she fell asleep snuggled into General Leia Organa. Rey wasn’t sure what to do about her growing attraction and attachment to her mentor. To one of the most powerful women in the Resistance. To someone she knew frequently shared a bed with the _other_ most powerful woman in the Resistance, Admiral Amilyn Holdo. What could Rey offer her? Still, she feels drawn to her. When Leis comes to watch her, she can feel Leia's energy, like they are both holding onto the same livewire. 

The more she tries to work out her feelings on the training ground, the more tired she is, but the less she sleeps. Tossing and turning, waking up in a cold sweat. She claims a fitful hour of sleep here and there. She finally sacks out early in the morning, close to dawn. By the time she wakes, the sun is blaring down. Missing her training is not in her programming though so she pulls on her clothes, grabs her water and heads out the door.

\\\

When Leia appears, the sight of Rey nearly turns her right back around. Unsure she can keep her attraction at bay, but unwilling to miss the show she takes a wide berth around the training field. After one pass, her libido wins out and she decided to perch under a tree. Rey has stripped down to a single layer, has forgone shoes, and is cranking out pushups in the grass. 

The sleeveless layer she has on was completely soaked through with sweat. After another 25 pushups, she pushes up into a downward dog stretch. Leia takes the time to admire her legs, thighs and quads flexing under the effort. Suddenly Rey swipes down and into a different stretch, putting her chest and back on display. Seemingly satisfied, she collapses down into the grass and rolls over onto her back. 

Leia recognizes the silver canteen sitting in the grass at the base of the tree and picks it up. 

“Here. Have some water,” she says, her shadow blocking the sun from Rey’s face.

“How long have you been watching?”

If anything, Leia's attraction to Rey is growing, as is her distraction everywhere else. Leia knew she had to make a move and fast, for the sanity of herself and everyone around her. To take her own advice and be allowed to want something. “Not long. But, long enough to enjoy the view.” 

“Well then, my training is paying off.”

“It has many benefits, the least of which is your fine form.”

“Thank you for the water.” Rey sits up now, puts her hands on her bent knees. She takes another large gulp and wipes her mouth with her hand. Then she removes the fabric around her wrist, pours some water on it and wipes her face.

Leia’s tongue travels her lips and her front teeth settle on her bottom lip. 

“Rey. I have an idea.”

Rey drops her hand from her face and looks up at Leia. “Yes?”

“Why don’t you come with me to my quarters and you can take a cool bath. Get out of this sun and get refreshed. You look tired.”

“What’s a bath?” Rey asks, leaning closer.

“It’s like a shower, but different. I think you’ll like it. It can be relaxing.”

Rey closes the lid on her canister and gets to her feet. 

“Let me grab my sandals and I’ll follow your lead.”

— —  
The doors open to Leia’s quarters, and while it’s not overly lavish, Leia knows it’s significantly bigger than Rey’s. Rey sets her canister down on an entryway table and moves into Leia’s space. Leia takes her shoes off and Rey follows suit depositing her sandals near the other discarded pairs. 

“Follow me, the bathroom with the tub is attached to my bedroom.”

Leia leads slowly, letting Rey take her surroundings in. Few personal possessions have survived the past couple of years, but she has a few photos hanging in the hallway, including one of her and Amilyn from their time in the Apprentice Legislature. Rey studies that one for a few extra seconds before closing the gap and lading on Leia’s heels.

“Just through here.” Leia offers.

Leia’s bed is larger than any Rey has ever seen and the bedding is white and looks as soft as clouds.

When they reach the bathroom, Leia moves toward the bathtub, and sits on the edge, facing Rey. The large bathtub is sunk into a platform that has two steps leading up to it on the left side. There is a small chair off to the right.

“Will Holdo be upset?”

“Amilyn…” Leia was contemplative for a moment and her mouth settled into a lopsided smile. “Probably.”

Rey frowned.

“Oh, no Rey. She won’t be upset at us, not exactly. I suspect she will be quite put out that she wasn’t here to participate. Take you in. Add her own encouragements. She’s very fond of you.”

Rey’s dismay turns to shock, her mouth hangs open for a few seconds before she manages to say “Me?”

“We both are. It’s nothing to be embarrassed about, Rey. You are a magnificent young woman. We can’t help but see little parts of ourselves in you, which thrills us, even if it’s a little vain. Your struggles to survive on Jakku, to harness the Force, to help our cause, they have all added complex layers to your way of being. Layers I know both Amilyn and I have fantasized about exposing.”

Rey is quiet, feet planted firmly on the floor, the fabric of her clothes still glued to her body. Her brown eyes don’t leave Leia. When she shuts them Leia wonders if she is calling on the Force to confirm what she’s been told. 

Leia continues without waiting for a reply. “The way you are grounded in your training. Your strength emanates from your core and flows to your limbs with grace. Your persistence in achieving top form, and the exuberance with which you approach your new path. It stirs me in ways I didn’t think was possible any longer. You have much to experience and learn. I wish to fill in some of these gaps, if you’ll let me?” 

“I would like that, yes.” Rey is smiling shyly now. Nervous maybe, Leia thinks.

Rey continues, “I’m just not sure I can comprehend someone as accomplished, and beautiful, as you are, taking an interest in me. In some ways I will always see myself as a scrapper.”

“We can’t outrun our past. I’m a testament to that. But we can try to embrace it.”

Rey stands still, but her shoulders move away from her ears, body relaxing. 

“I’m going to start this bath. This basin fills up and then you submerge your body in it and soak. If you make it hot it can relax your muscles. But, on a day like today, a cooler bath will bring down your core temperature, which will help relax you, then maybe you can take a nap.” Leia puts her foot on the first step and leans over to turn the knobs. The sound of the water fills the room.

“Okay, What should I do?”

“I would like to change into a robe, and then undress you. Is that okay?”

“Yes.” Rey’s reply comes out meekly.

“Relax. Breathe. If you would rather me leave you to it —“

“No. Please.”

“Okay. I’m going to undress first.”

Rey instinctively turns around to face away.

“Rey, honey. It’s okay to watch me. To _want_ to watch.”

Rey turns back around, her blush apparent, the flush from her workout having already dissipated. 

“I want you to be comfortable, but a little nervous is normal. Being naked with another person is awkward. It can also freeing.”

Leia proceeds to remove her vest and then her tan blouse more slowly. Rey’s eyes are fixated on Leia’s fingers as she works each button undone. Rey’s tongue is just visible, working swirls in her mouth behind her front teeth.

Leia takes her socks off and then shucks her pants, leaving only her white bra and underwear. 

“Are you okay?” That question might have been for Leia’s own benefit. Despite her confidence a moment ago, the newness of she and Rey has her full of adrenaline and arousal, pushing her slightly off balance. She can feel her ribs rattling inside her chest. 

Rey takes a step toward Leia. “I’m still breathing. Mostly.”

Leia takes a step toward Rey putting them within arms reach of one another.

“Do you want to undo my bra for me?”

“May I?”

Leia turns, offering Rey her back. When she feels Rey’s fingers slip under the clasp, her body breaks out in goosebumps. She turns back around and let’s her bra fall, tossing it in the pile with her blouse. 

She wastes no time getting out of her underwear, giving Rey a moment to take in the ways Leia’s body differs from her own. The way Leia's erect nipples sit on fuller breasts. The way her pubic hair is giving way to shimmering silver streaks. The way old battle scars have healed, some nicer than others. The love mark Amilyn left two nights ago, just under her left breast. 

Leia touches the fabric sticking to Rey’s shoulder, and trails her fingers down her collar bone. Rey releases a heavy breath into Leia’s ear. She’s wearing a sleeveless linen tank top. Her utilitarian style is something Leia finds incredibly sexy about Rey. Something distinctive from Amilyn’s style, though they had other traits in common. “I like this summer outfit. Lift your arms please.”

Leia slowly peels Rey’s shirt upward, exposing her toned stomach, a few ribs pushing out, supporting her arms overhead. Her fingers graze exposed skin and Leia resists the urge to bend over and follow her fingers with kisses. Returning to the task at hand, she releases Rey’s head from the shirt and Rey lowers her arms so Leia can pull it off and add it to their now growing pile of clothes.

When Leia turns back, Rey has one arm across her body, hand resting on her shoulder, shyly, covering her chest.

“You’re stunning. Don’t you know that?”

Rey drops her arm, but doesn’t respond. Leia shuffles forward slightly closing the gap between them considerably. She places her hands on the hem of Rey’s pants, and feels her stomach quiver. 

“May I?”

“Yes.”

Leia undoes the button of Rey’s pants and slides them to the floor. Rey steps out of them and flings them into the pile with a flick of her foot. Leia finds Rey’s hands, and presses their foreheads together. Leia’s palm is pulsing intensely.

“Thank you for trusting me. Keep breathing, slowly and steady. You are a delight. I’m going to add some bubble bath to the water for you and then turn it off. You can finish undressing. Will you grab my robe from the hook on the door?”

“Sure. What’s bubble bath?”

Leia grabs a bottle off the shelf and pours a capful into the faucet’s stream creating an instant lather. “I don’t really know what it is. I think someone must have lost a bottle of champagne in the bath to get the idea. It just makes a foam layer on top of the bath. But it smells nice.”

“Okay.”

“Plus, it will give you some privacy and keep me from staring at your breasts while I brush out your hair.”

“No one has ever brushed out my hair.”

“It is one of life’s simple pleasures. I find it almost as nice to brush someone’s hair as I do when my own hair is brushed. _Almost_.” Leia raises her eyebrows in Rey’s direction and then returns to the bath to shut off the water.

When she turns back around Rey is holding up her plush cotton robe, waiting for Leia to slip into it. After tying the belt around her waist, Leia turns to face the woman responsible for the wetness between her legs.

Rey is trembling, pebbled nipples taught against sculpted breasts, her shaking barely perceptible to the eye, but Leia can feel the buzz in her palm. Rey leans in and kisses Leia full on the mouth, sucking lightly on her bottom lip before breaking contact. 

Leia touches her mouth, confirming what just happened. “I didn’t want to wait any longer.” Rey announces.

“I’ve wanted to do that for awhile. Let’s get you in the bath before I decide we should abandon this effort in favor of the bed, okay?”

Rey moves toward the tub.

“Climb in with your feet toward the faucet so I can sit near the edge and brush your hair.”

“Oh. This is nice. The bubbles smell like the flowers by the sea.”

“Good. Is the water too cool? I can add some more warm water, just let me know.”

“It’s perfect.”

“I’m glad. Come closer to the edge and I’ll start on your hair.”

Rey props herself up on the edge where Leia is waiting. Leia removes her hair tie and begins running her fingers through Rey’s brown locks, full of caramel colored highlights from all of her time outdoors. Leia wants to give Rey a head massage before she gets up to retrieve her brush. She scoops her fingers under the base of Rey’s skull, but instead of combing through her hair, her hands settle into her scalp, thumbs working Rey’s temples.

“Unngh.” Rey sinks into the water a little and then pushes back into Leia’s hands. Her eyes flutter closed and open again.

She tilts her chin up just enough to catch Leia’s eye.

“Yes Rey?” Leia doesn’t stop moving her fingers, applying pressure and lazy designs.

“Why does this feel so good?”

“Mmmm. I don’t know, but I really like it too.”

Leia adjusts her hands from underneath Rey’s head to run her fingers along both of Rey’s ears. “Just relax. Don’t think about anything but each sensation and how it feels.”

Leia could see soft ripples in the water, Rey twitching under her touch. The bubbles were starting to dissipate and disperse into patches. 

“Aaagh. I can feel that in the tips of my toes.”

“Just imagine me doing that with my tongue.”

At that provocation, Rey’s hips noticeably buck. 

“Leia. If you want me to stay in here long enough for you to brush out my hair, your going to have to stop teasing me like that. This bath was supposed to cool me off but your making me hot again.”

Leia’s gentle chuckle seems louder than it is, echoing off the walls. “As you wish. I’ll be right back with my brush.” Rey, seemingly wound up now, only grunts in response.

When Leia returns to her perch, she gives Rey’s scalp one more gentle massage before gathering the length of her hair and beginning to work through the tangles. 

With each brush stroke, Leia can see the tension in Rey’s body ease. It was not, however, doing anything to ease her own arousal. “Are you cooling off now?”

“Yes.”

After a few more strokes, Rey’s hair is shiny and smooth. Leia takes a strand in her hand and twirls it through her fingers. “Are you relaxed? Tired? Do you feel like a nap?”

“No.”

“What do you want?”

“I want to be close to you...closer to you.”

“I want that too. This has been very delicious torture. Let me get you a towel.”

Rey was standing in the tub waiting for Leia when she turned back toward the bath. 

“I hope you know how beautiful you are.”

“I’m learning.”

Leia holds out the towel for Rey and she nearly jumps out of the tub into Leia’s arms. Leia encircles Rey, taking the opportunity to embrace her from behind. To nuzzle her ear. To graze her teeth over her earlobe and whisper, “you smell like the flowers by the sea.” To hold Rey up when her knees momentarily buckle.

“Kiss me.”

Leia turns her around by the shoulders and Rey lets her towel fall in the process. Leia’s hands settle on Rey’s hips and she meets no resistance parting Rey’s legs with her knee. Rey pulls lose the belt on her robe and slides her hands underneath, fingers grazing Leia’s chest, coming to rest on her shoulders. Leia moves her left hand to Rey’s lower back and uses her right to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear. She caresses her cheek bone, and trails her thumb over Rey’s lips. She makes eye contact and Rey pleads again, “Kiss me.”

Leia’s lips meet Rey’s, softly at first, exploring. Then with more pressure. She tries to impart upon Rey’s lips her months of yearning. Rey’s mouth parts, and Leia presses her tongue into it, finding Rey’s. Tongues sparring and hands roaming, Leia hasn’t felt the exhilaration of getting to know a new lover in far too long. 

When they break for air Rey is still clinging to Leia. She bites the inside of her cheek, something Leia notices is a bit of a nervous tick. Leia maneuvers Rey’s head into the crook of her neck, stroking her hair slowly. “Come to bed with me? Let me give you the release you so desperately need.” 

“I would like that,” Rey says into the hollow of Leia’s neck.

Leia pulls her robe around them both and leads Rey out to her bed. When they get to the edge she steps out of her robe, leaving it draped on Rey. She turns down the sheets and motions for Rey to crawl in. Rey dispatches the robe and slides into the bed. Leia follows right behind, sliding close to Rey and resting her palm on her chest, centering them both. “Are you okay?”

“Still breathing,” Rey replies.

“Is this your first time?” Leia is pretty sure she know the answer but wants confirmation. 

“With a woman. A General, no less. What am I supposed to do after you? No, don’t answer that. I’m shutting up now.”

Leia leans over and kisses Rey. She knows from her earlier exploration they are both hot and slick and eager to be touched. The volume of her own wetness shocks and delights Leia. 

“Just like before, don’t think, feel. Okay?”

“My nerves are one fire. I can only feel. Please. I need to be closer to you.”

Rey guides Leia’s hand to her thigh. Before Leia even attempts to part her folds she feels Rey’s wetness dripping down her legs, coating her pubic hair, dense curls entwining with Rey’s need. The tactile sensation of running her fingers through Rey’s hair makes her ass clench and her hips jut closer to Rey’s, clit pressing into Rey’s firm quad. 

“Yes. Closer.”

“Are you always this demanding?” Leia asks as she runs a finger the length of her entrance. She feels Rey chasing her touch, pressing her pelvis off the bed, seeking.

“Never.” 

Leia believes her and kisses Rey once more. Leia pushes up slightly to run her tongue over Rey’s ear lobe, Rey gasps.

When Leia finally gives in and pushes her hand into Rey’s swollen cunt she meets no resistance. Rey is so wet Leia finds it hard to maintain pressure on her clit. While she is working Rey open, she continues pressing her own clit against Rey’s leg. It’s not enough to get her off, but she knows Rey can feel her own desire, warm and sticky on her thigh, and that will have to do for now.

For her part, Rey is pressing off the bed toward Leia’s hand with conviction, eyes closed, tongue dusting about her lips with abandon.

“I’m going to start with two fingers, okay?”

“Do it.” Rey’s pleasure is bordering on pain now. “I need it. You.”

Leia finds a quick tempo, fingers working in and out, thumb working Rey’s slippery clit.

“Yes. Please. Leia.”

Rey coming undone by her hand is a sight Leia had only fantasized about. As she brought Rey to climax, she only hoped she would get to do it again. It was more pure than she had imagined. Rey thrashing below her, panting, failing to hold back moans of pleasure. Out of her mind with passion. Calling out her name.

“Leia. Yes. Yes. _Leiaaaa_.” 

“You are so good. Let go. Come for me.”

Leia felt Rey clenching around her and pulling her in deeper. 

“Perfect Rey. It’s perfect.”

And just as quickly as the wave of Rey’s orgasm had come in it reversed out to sea and she was laying still, sweaty, free. Leia removed her hand and wiped it on the sheet before settling in close to Rey, holding her. Leia planted a chaste kiss on her lips and was rewarded with an indolent smile.

“I think I’ll have that nap now.”

“Sweet dreams Rey. I’m right here.”

It isn’t long before Rey’s shallow breaths turn to a light snore and Leia knows she will be out for a while.

She turns onto her stomach and uses her own hand to replace the pressure of Rey’s thigh on her clit. She was nearly there when Rey came. With thoughts of undressing Rey rushing back, her pink nipples barely bobbing out of the bath water, the heat of Rey’s cunt still warming her hand, and her excitement over what this may become, it doesn’t take long for her own orgasm to rip through her. With release, fatigue settles in. She snuggles into Rey and pulls the sheet up over them. Leia decides a nap is a grand idea.

**Author's Note:**

> The apple exchange was inspired by [this amazing artwork](http://septembre-songstress.tumblr.com/post/163920789023/this-much-green-in-the-whole-galaxy-still-a-bit) by EB Leung.


End file.
